Live blogging from the rally via live streaming....

This is fantastic. I just wish they would give an aerial view right now... It looks like a big turn-out.

Since 12:00 p.m. The Roots are on stage with John Legend. The latter I've run into on my internet meanderings, never heard of the other. Critical dark texts coupled with messages of hope despite the darkness. They are all good.

12:45 Some idjits from a science channel are doing wave things.... like in stadiums, I thought it was lame, but then it got political. Good idea. They started waves from both ends of the crowd which crossed in the middle. It was subtle.

12:57 Jon's on, but begins with the national anthem sung by members of the four military branches.

13:07 Stephen is in a 'fear bunker' and and comes up in a capsule like the chilean miners... He is SO crazy.

13:57 A fake pastor and something good about religious tolerance. GREAT stuff.

Ok, that was the benediction. Now Sam Waterson with the poem. It it is hilarious.

Oh wow, Cat Stevens! Super!

Peace train. And Stephen interrupts him, because he doesn't have a ticket. Oh wow.

They are nuts.

And his group is singing something like wasted, because it is his train. Oh, Ozzie Osbourne. Oh... outrageous.

Jon interrupts, and says he can't ride that train, this is unreal. Now both are duelling, and Jon stops it all. They resolve it with the OJ's singing 'Love Train.'

Now Jon is giving out medals for reasonableness.

Stephen gives medals of fear... to Anderson Cooper's tee shirt, because if he is on tee-vee, something bad has happened.

Jon and Stephen are in ridiculously dressed in US Flag designs... and arguing... and now a vaudeville number, funny!

I'd marry Uncle Sam if I could do it legally.... (Jon)

Oh, am rolling on the floor...

Third medal of sanity to Mick Foley who took the side of a bullied gay kid. He is a professional wrestler.

Medal of fear to the creator of Facebook.

Ok, Kid Rock and Cheryl Crowe.

Oooo.... terrific lyrics. Can't solve problems, but care.

That was the intro... great song.

Now she doing a solo. Wonderful crowd shots, it's like being there without the chilly DC air and masses of people.

Estimates are there are 175,000 people on the Mall.

2:39 pm (all times are EST) Incredible 'debate' between Jon and Stephen, and such a take down of the media, I was blown away.

Jon gave the end address, straight, passionate, and unbelievably rational.

Wow. I hope to be able to post that.

Now Tony Bennett.

America, the Beautiful.

End, all the musicians, Mavis Staples is to die for. End credits are rolling. John Oliver still in his Peter Pan outfit. He is so crazy. Limey's are completely dotty.

Over.

Ok.... it wasn't like any 'rally' I have ever seen. Wasn't 'Cumbaya', was peaceful, just people of all sorts of racial backgrounds, mostly young, wasn't for one party or another, but focussed on people getting back to the middle and TALKING with one another. In a civilised way.

Am not so sure how Obama's people are going to take it. The Faux News people will denigrate it to the max, that I am sure of. And there was no propaganda about getting out the vote, and that will irritate Barack to the max, am sure.... It was about people learning to LISTEN to one another, and exchange views in a civilised manner, and about mutual respect. Colbert played devil's advocate in their mock 'debate', and really hit the heights of satire and reason. Fascinating stuff.

What I especially liked was the lack of propaganda. There was always a message, but you had to 'get' it because it was more or less subliminal.

That HAD TO BE, and IS... the most rational thing I have seen in a very long time, and was glad to have 'been' there.

Am sure there are all sorts of groups who want to energise the base.

Hnmmm... 175,000 people of all sorts. Impressive. Am wondering how many more like me saw it on the 'internets'. Acutally, I didn't know WHAT to expect, they'd been touting it for weeks now on the Daily Show and Colbert Nation.

And by the way... Colbert does some awesome things, gets his 'nation' to donate to causes, and is very successful at it. His latest is donating to school projects, you can pick which one you want to help, and has raised nearly half a million dollars with that alone. And helps veterans, and even got the speed skaters to the Olympics after a Netherlands bank who was banking the team went bankrupt, and got more than enough to get them there. He's more than 'cool'.

Whelp, have to get to bed. Peter martyred me today. Am always battling uphill with him, and he doesn't know WHAT the fuck is happening.

It was nice to see something different for a change.